Method and apparatus for filling a plurality of flexible pipette type vessels

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automatically filling a plurality of flexible vessels or pipettes with liquid in a controlled manner. The vessels are sorted, inserted into a filling rack and then inserted in the rack into a vacuum container with their filling ports or tubes inserted into the liquid. The container and hence the vessels are evacuated to a desired pressure, which then is released to fill the vessels with a desired amount of liquid. The vessels then are removed in the rack and sealed for later use. The sealed vessels then can be labeled prior to use.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A method of filling a plurality of vessels, comprising: providing a plurality of vessels having filling ports therein, said vessels having a body at one end and an elongated filling and discharge tube extending therefrom with said port at the end of said tube;   sorting said tubes to align said bodies and said tubes;   providing a loading or filling rack with a slot in one side thereof;   loading said tubes into said loading rack with said tubes extending through said slot;   providing a container for filling said vessels;   filling at least a portion of said container with a liquid with which to fill said vessels;   inserting said rack with said vessels into said container with said filling ports submerged in said liquid;   sealing and evacuating said container to a desired negative pressure to evacuate said vessels;   releasing said pressure to fill said vessels with said liquid;   removing said rack with said filled vessels therein;   providing a sealing mechanism;   inserting said tubes in said rack into said sealing mechanism and sealing said tubes; and   providing a labeling mechanism and providing a vessel loading mechanism for said rack and said vessels and unloading said sealed vessels from said rack into said loading mechanism and labeling said vessels after discharging said vessels from said loading mechanism.   
     
     
       2. The method as defined in claim 1 including releasing said pressure in a controlled manner to control the filling of said vessels with said liquid. 
     
     
       3. The method as defined in claim 1 including providing vessel support means in said container to support said rack holding said vessels with said tubes in said liquid and inserting said rack holding said vessels and tubes in said support means to submerge said open ends in said liquid. 
     
     
       4. The method as defined in claim 3 including inserting said vessels and tubes in said support means prior to filling said container with said liquid. 
     
     
       5. The method as defined in claim 1 including evacuating said container and vessels to a desired predetermined negative pressure which is proportional to a desired percentage of evacuation of said vessels and releasing said pressure to fill said vessels with a desired amount of fluid. 
     
     
       6. The method as defined in claim 1 including providing a sorting mechanism with a vibrating sorting arm and sorting and aligning said bodies and tubes in said sorting mechanism and feeding said vessels therefrom, one at a time. 
     
     
       7. The method as defined in claim 6 including providing a loading arm with a slot in one side thereof and feeding said sorted vessels into said locking arm with said tubes extending through said slot and loading said tubes into said loading rack from said loading arm. 
     
     
       8. The method as defined in claim 1 including heat sealing said tubes to themselves to seal said vessels. 
     
     
       9. The method as defined in claim 7 including trimming ends of said tubes after sealing said tubes. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for filling a plurality of vessels, comprising: a plurality of vessels having filling ports therein, said vessels having a body at one end and an elongated filling and discharge tube extending therefrom with said port at the end of said tube;   means for sorting said tubes to align said bodies and said tubes;   a loading or filling rack with a slot in one side thereof;   means for loading said tubes into said loading rack with said tubes extending through said slot;   a container for filling said vessels including a liquid with which to fill said vessels;   said rack with said vessels inserted into said container with said filling ports submerged in said liquid;   means for sealing and evacuating said container to a desired negative pressure to evacuate said vessels;   means for releasing said pressure to fill said vessels with said liquid;   said rack removed with said filled vessels therein;   a sealing mechanism;   said tubes in said rack inserted into said sealing mechanism for sealing said tubes; and   a labeling mechanism and a vessel loading mechanism for said rack and said vessels and means for unloading said sealed vessels from said rack into said loading mechanism and labeling said vessels after discharging said vessels from said loading mechanism.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including means for releasing said pressure in a controlled manner to control the filling of said vessels with said liquid. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including vessel support means in said container to support said rack holding said vessels with said tubes in said liquid and said rack holding said vessels and tubes inserted in said support means to submerge said open ends in said liquid. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including said vessels and tubes inserted in said support means prior to filling said container with said liquid. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including means for evacuating said container and vessels to a desired predetermined negative pressure which is proportional to a desired percentage of evacuation of said vessels and means for releasing said pressure to fill said vessels with a desired amount of fluid. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including providing a sorting mechanism with a vibrating sorting arm and means for sorting and aligning said bodies and tubes in said sorting mechanism and feeding said vessels therefrom, one at a time. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 including a loading arm with a slot in one side thereof and means for feeding said sorted vessels into said loading arm with said tubes extending through said slot and means for loading said tubes into said loading rack from said loading arm. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 including means for heat sealing said tubes to themselves to seal said vessels. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 including means for trimming the ends of said tubes after sealing said tubes. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said container is rectangular in shape.